Prescribed burning is an important tool for managing pine and mixed pine-hardwood forests in Louisiana. To assist landowners with management activities, improve habitat for wildlife, and encourage additional burning throughout the state, LDWF has gained approval and funding for three separate US Fish and Wildlife Service, State Wildlife Grants over the past three years. Funding from these grants is used to cost-share prescribed burns on those properties that qualify for the initiative.

EGCP Prescribed Burn initiative funding is available to landowners with property that meets ranking criteria in the following parishes: West Feliciana, East Feliciana, St. Helena, Livingston, Tangipahoa, Washington and St. Tammany. Applications are ranked according to habitat characteristics and potential wildlife benefits. LDWF will provide approximately 80 percent of the cost of prescribed burning activities from initiative funds and assist landowners by locating contractors to conduct the work on all approved tracts.

Applications must be submitted by Nov. 9 to be considered for the 2012-2013 burning season. However, applications submitted after this date will be eligible for funding in 2013-2014.

If you or someone you know has property in southeast Louisiana that would benefit from prescribed burning, please contact the LDWF Hammond field office at 985-543-4777 or Cody Cedotal at 225-765-2354 or ccedotal@wlf.la.gov for more information and applications.